Black Bile #5 Haihai

Friday, September 26, 2025

Yesterday's mission ended with surprising ease, almost to the point of being anticlimactic.
Immediately after Haihai declared, "I'll do it!", a massive amount of food arrived at the table, and we ate and drank, drank and talked, and talked and ate.
I was surprised that the bill at Saizeriya exceeded 3,000 yen.
Even though the two of us were eating and drinking, it wasn't like we were drinking alcohol.
It probably had something to do with me overeating more than usual, stimulated by Haihai's appetite.

After overeating, I get an irresistible urge to move my body.
Having never experienced returning to the dormitory while the sun was still high, I felt inexplicably happy.
I went home, changed into sporty clothes (though that just meant shorts and a T-shirt), hopped on my bicycle, and pedaled slowly through Shibuya in the daytime.
Shibuya is literally a "valley," so the ups and downs in the city are intense.
Especially since the area around the station is the lowest point, if you choose the wrong route, you could end up struggling up a steep hill.
I took a route that avoided hills as much as possible and pedaled along, looking at the neighborhood scenery.
I passed by a familiar real estate agency.

I had been shown properties here before.
There was a room with an exceptionally low rent.
It was cheaper than the rent for my current company dormitory, so I seriously thought about moving.
The layout was 1DK.
Looking at the floor plan, the windows faced south, and the distance to my workplace wasn't far. Compared to rooms of the same level, that room was significantly cheaper. Moreover, the security deposit and key money were each 0.5 months' rent. The calculation was that I would break even if I lived there for a year.
If I moved here, I would have a little more room in my living expenses!
Above all, I wouldn't have to face my younger boss at the company dormitory and be subjected to his sarcasm anymore!!
I walked through the door of this shop with such faint dreams.

When I mentioned the property in question, the clerk's expression clouded over instantly.
As expected, the first thing they said was, "This property is what you call a 'psychologically stigmatized property.' If you're okay with that..." and explained it to me.
"It's fine, it's fine, I'm the thick-skinned type, so it's okay, it's okay."
Feeling a chill, I still went to the property with the clerk.
The exterior was a normal apartment building. According to the documents, it was 12 years old. It wasn't that old of a property.
The room in question was at the end of the second floor.
I had felt something strange about myself on the way up the stairs, but I pretended not to notice and kept going.
However, as I got closer to the room, the ringing in my ears amplified.
Just as I was about to lose consciousness, the clerk turned the key and opened the door.
At that moment, a palpitation like my heart being grabbed attacked me.
The beating was as loud as a drum roll by my ears.
Ah, this might be a really dangerous one...
I desperately pulled on the clerk's shirt sleeve and let out a whimper, "Sorry, I can't do it after all."
Such memories came back to me.
I wonder if someone is living in that room now.
Curious, I looked at the exterior of that room.
The door post was covered with masking tape.
That means it's still vacant.
What on earth happened in that room in the past?

Following yesterday, today was also a very pleasant day that could be described as "autumn weather!"
I thought about getting carried away and enjoying a bit more cycling, but when I calmed down, I realized that out of the four people I needed to persuade, I had only finished with one. It's better to conserve my energy. I decided to wrap it up early.

I returned home, spent the time until evening lazing around, and made a phone call to Chihiro Senkawa as a daily report.
"Out of the five, Kanna and Haihai have already agreed. Tomorrow, I'm scheduled to have a meeting with Haihai."
"Good work, Mr. Dobashi. Please do your best until the end!"
As always, it's a warm and embracing voice.
But I know several colleagues who were deceived by this voice and forced to swallow bitter pills.
Do my best, huh.
For whose sake am I doing my best?
For the members of Kurotan?
For Mr. Mogi, a senior producer whose face I don't even know?
At the moment, I don't really know.
In times like that, I'll do my best for myself.
Well, let's go with that.

Night came, and it became morning.
Unlike the past few days, the forecast was for the heat to return today.
The meeting is at 13:00 in front of "The Gates of Hell" at the National Museum of Western Art.
Does it have some symbolic meaning?

JR Ueno Station is the closest to the meeting place.
I headed to Ueno from Shibuya on the Yamanote Line.
The view from the Park Exit is quite something.
In front, you can see the entrance to Ueno Zoo. The path leading to it is wide enough to be called a plaza. If you leave the ticket gate and head toward the zoo, you will immediately see the National Museum of Western Art on your right.
There is a museum forecourt surrounded by a black lattice fence.
Within the premises, "The Gates of Hell" sits in the southeastern part, closest to the station.
The "Thinker" that I had known for a long time is attached to the upper center of the huge bronze statue. Compared to the whole, it is quite small.

A girl wearing a white blouse, a black skirt reaching below her knees, and a black felt beret on her head was standing frozen in front of that huge work.
For some reason, I hesitated to call out to her, and I watched her from behind for a while.
What is she feeling right now?
Despair, grief, or perhaps hope?
As I was dreaming about such things, she suddenly turned around.
She in her monochrome outfit and the bronze statue behind her looked like a single painting.
"Ah! Are you Mr. Dobashi?"
Surprised, she opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth with her right hand, perhaps to hide her open mouth.
"Ah, yeah. Haihai-san?"
"That's right. Nice to meet you." As she said that, she gave a small bow.
"You don't have to be so formal. Shall we talk while we walk?"
"Yes!"
We left the museum and slowly headed south through Ueno Park.
It's a weekday afternoon, but there are many people. More than half are foreigners. Times have changed.
"I think you've heard from Kanna, but..."
"Yes, I'm relieved to hear that the producer is safe for now."
The impression I have so far is quite far from the one I had beforehand.
I had heard she was a high-tension girl who makes funny faces.
In the live footage I watched for preparation, Haihai's crisp dancing, the funny faces she showed in between, the uninhibited frenzy during the MC, and her loud laughter were impressive.
And look at this. Isn't the person in front of me like a completely different person?
"Hey, I watched your live footage, but it's quite different, between being an idol and your private life."
Jinjin smiled lonely.
"That's true. There are many girls who are idols as they are, but for me, the part I'm acting is quite large."
"Hmm, I guess so."
"Hey, Mr. Dobashi, how much do you know about the producer's condition?"
Hmm? I haven't said a word about Mr. Mogi being hospitalized, have I? I mean, I don't even know that information myself.
"Condition...? Does Haihai know something?"
"Eh? No, I just... wondered if he was hospitalized."
It's better not to dig deeper into this topic. My intuition told me so. Let's get to the main point.
"Haihai, what do you think about the reunion and contract renewal?"
"I didn't want to just fade out like this."
"Then..."
"Mr. Dobashi, will you listen to me?"
"Sure, tell me anything."
"You know, I'm from Miyagi. I experienced the earthquake when I was little."
"I see. How old were you?"
"Still before I entered elementary school. Five or six. My parents' house wasn't that close to the sea, but even so, there were acquaintances and relatives who passed away. Ah! This kind of story is a bit heavy, isn't it?"
"No, let me hear it."
"I'm sorry. So, because of the earthquake, my family decided to move to Tokyo."
Haihai has erased something like emotion from her expression.
She was looking ahead with a gaze that seemed to be looking somewhere far away.
"What was the reason you wanted to become an idol?"
It wasn't that it became awkward, but I tried to correct the direction a little.
"It might be cliché, but it's Precure."
There's no way I, who am ignorant of anime, can keep up with the topic of magical girl shows. I decided to focus on listening and urged her to continue.
"The survivor's dilemma, I guess you could call it. I felt that just doing nothing was a very bad thing. If I was going to do something, I wanted to do a job that could make someone smile. The conclusion I finally reached was being an idol."
I see, the cheerful character is a mask to make others smile.
"The producer disappeared just when things were about to start, so I was at a loss, but when the talk of resuming activities came up this time, I felt happy for some reason."
Haihai, who finished speaking in one breath, looks a little softer in expression than before.
The sunlight is burning my skin.
It's rare to feel this sensation in late September.
"Hey, Mr. Dobashi. It might be rude to ask someone I'm meeting for the first time, but what kind of dream do you have, Mr. Dobashi?"
Haihai, who turned around, pierced my eyes with a desperate expression.
"I... I am..."
It would be rude to this girl if I glossed over it here.
I decided to be honest.
"I've spent most of my life as a drifter. It's not a life I can boast about to anyone. But since I joined this agency and started getting involved with idols, I've felt myself changing, little by little. Honestly, I've never had a dream. I've never thought about wanting to be something. Even so, I'm somehow living. That's not an answer at all, I'm sorry."
Haihai had a smile on her lips, and her eyes were distorted as if she were about to cry for some reason.
"Thank... you."
"Why! There was no part that deserved thanks for a story like this."
"No, I feel like the tension in my shoulders has eased a little. I've been doing idol activities just based on a sense of mission."
"The motive of 'for someone else' is necessary, but I think there are cases where the strongest one is 'for yourself'."
"I feel refreshed. I'll do it! I want to reunite, and I want to continue after that, so I'll renew my contract. I also want to meet the producer."

No sooner had I felt relieved than a LINE message from Kanna flew in.

Kanna: I got the next appointment. Meeting with Jinjin at the L'Occitane Cafe near the entrance of Karuizawa Shopping Plaza, tomorrow 9/27 at 11:00. It's far, but good luck.

K-Karuizawa?!
Come to think of it, it was written that Jinjin was from Nagano Prefecture, but...
Ah!
I remembered that it was written as "Princess of the Highway Bus" in the member introduction on the flyer.
Was Jinjin commuting from Nagano to Tokyo?

"Hey Haihai, I'm going to meet Jinjin tomorrow."
"Eh, you're going to Nagano?"
"Was Jinjin always commuting?"
"That's right. She leaves there on Friday night and leaves here on Sunday night. She's really tough, isn't she?"
"Hey, I have a consultation, over there." I pointed near the zoo entrance and said, "I want to have a strategy meeting at Starbucks, will you join me?"
"Of course, I'd love to." Haihai answered with the biggest smile of the day.

We moved to the Starbucks that was within sight and secured seats.
Like outside, there are many customers from overseas.
"Order whatever you like."
"What are you going to have, Mr. Dobashi?"
"It's hot today, so I'd like something refreshing, not a 'something-ccino'. I'll leave it to Haihai, so can you order for both of us?"
"Fufu, then I'll order what I like, okay?"
"Yeah, please."
I'm not good at shops where ordering is difficult. That's why I rarely go to Jiro-style ramen shops.
While I was watching Haihai speak a foreign language in front of me, almost moved, it seemed the order was finished.
Haihai had an Espresso Affogato Frappuccino, and I had a Kaga Bo-Hojicha and White Peach Mousse Tea. Two drinks cost 1,630 yen. Amazing.

We moved to our seats and I explained the current situation.
I have to persuade Jinjin and Kokoro in the next two days.
I regretted not having read the Kurotan flyer thoroughly.
"Do you know where Kokoro is now?"
"Probably at her parents' house in Tochigi, right?"
Although I was relieved that it wasn't the worst answer, I shouldn't let my guard down. Even if it's Tochigi, it's quite large.
Now, the immediate task is the trip to Nagano tomorrow.
"To be honest, there is a war chest for this mission. The remaining..." After subtracting the bill from earlier, today's transportation expenses, the day after tomorrow's Tochigi expedition expenses, and the food and drink expenses with Jinjin and Kokoro, what I can use will probably be less than 10,000 yen.
"I'll check it out."
Haihai was drinking her 'something-ccino' with foam under her nose.
"The round trip between Tokyo and Karuizawa by Shinkansen is 12,040 yen."
"Is this rejected?"
"More than that, Mr. Dobashi, what time is the meeting tomorrow?"
"Let's see, 11 o'clock in front of Karuizawa station."
"How about a highway bus like Jinjin?"
"That might be good too. I might be able to understand Jinjin's feelings a little bit."
"Oh, if it's a highway bus, it depends on the flight, but it's between 5,000 and 8,000 yen for a round trip."
"Yes, it's decided!"

With that, the itinerary for tomorrow's bullet Nagano tour was decided.
The departure point is Tachikawa for some reason, not Shinjuku, but that was the only flight at a good time.

And, tomorrow's encounter with Jinjin will cause another incident a few months later...
That is another story.

3 days left until the reunion deadline.
War chest, 21,040 yen remaining.